Historical Geology F2F Syllabus

HISTORICAL GEOLOGY ON-CAMPUS LECTURE
GEOL 1122-100

Georgia Perimeter College
Spring Semester 2008

Instructor: Dr. Pamela J. W. Gore, Professor of Geology
E-mail address: pgore@gpc.edu
Dr. Gore's Home Page: http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/gore.htm
Office phone: (678) 891-3754
Clarkston Campus Science Department Secretary (for emergencies):(678) 891-3766
     FAX: (678) 891-3747 (in secretary's office).
     Please do not fax homework. Include instructor's name and YOUR NAME on ALL faxed pages.
Office room number: CC-2161 (Clarkston Campus)
Mailing address:
     Dr. Pamela Gore
     Dept of Geology
     Georgia Perimeter College
     555 North Indian Creek Drive
     Clarkston, GA 30021

Office hours on Clarkston Campus: MWF 1:00-3:00 pm, TuTh 10:30 am-12:00 pm
The instructor may be available at other times by e-mail, phone, or by appointment.

Regular communication is a very important part of this course. Please feel free to ask questions at any time, either in class at the appropriate time, by e-mail, by phone during office hours, or in person during office hours (call first to be sure I am not in a meeting or on another campus).

Catalog description:

Historical Geology is the study of the history of Earth and life through time. It provides an overview of evolution, fossils, dinosaurs, geologic time, radiometric dating, origin of the Earth, environments, and geologic history of North America. Optional field trip may be offered.

Prerequisites:

Exit or exemption from all Learning Support and ESL (English as a Second Language) requirements.
There is no Geology prerequisite for this course.

Teaching Objectives:

Teaching Objectives for this course are available at: http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/geology/historical_lecture/historical-objectives.html.
Teaching Objectives are a list of the minimum basic objectives for this course, as set forth by the Geology Curriculum Committee. Additional topics may be presented in the course, as deemed appropriate by the individual instructor. Exams and quizzes are designed to address the Teaching Objectives.

Required textbook and items for lecture:

Textbook: Levin, H. L., 2006, The Earth Through Time, 8th edition, 547 p. plus appendices. ISBN = 0-471-69743-5.

GREEN Scantron sheets (Form 882-E or 882-ES) for quizzes and exams. Ask the cashier at the GPC Bookstore.

Pencils, eraser, pencil sharpener (or mechanical pencils)

Notebook paper for taking class notes

3-ring binder to keep printouts of online notes organized

Class schedule, rules, and information:

Schedule: Tuesday and Thursday 12:30 am - 1:45 pm
Room: CC-1220 (some classes may be held in the Geology Lab, CC-1150)

Assignments and quizzes are listed on the Weekly lecture schedule,
http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/geology/historical_lecture/historical-lecture-schedule-spring2008.htm.
This schedule is tentative and may change. All changes will be announced in class. There will be homework assignments. There may be additional quizzes.
Assignments are due on or before the due date. Late assignments will be penalized, and may not be accepted.
Read online course notes following the Weekly Lecture Schedule. This includes both the notes on the GPC server AND the Publisher's web notes, both of which were written by Dr. Gore for this course.
You will want to print out the online course notes to bring to class, or bring your laptop. Wireless access is available in the classroom.
Online course notes are linked from this page: http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/online/historical.php
Textbook publisher's web site with chapter tutorials written by your instructor:
http://bcs.wiley.com/he-bcs/Books?action=resource&bcsId=2757&itemId=0471697435&resourceId=7947
Read the textbook chapters corresponding to the assigned class notes following the Weekly Lecture Schedule. Be sure that you know all of the bold terms in the textbook in the assigned pages. Be sure to think about the review questions at the end of each chapter. The textbook does not cover all of the material presented in this course.
Take notes on all readings to assist you with studying the material. You may want to make note cards, type outlines of course notes, or define bold terms.
Participation in class is encouraged, just raise your hand. Please feel free to ask questions if you are confused or having difficulty.
Work with other students on projects as assigned.
See any required videos.
All cell phones and electronic devices must be TURNED OFF before entering the classroom.
Come to class on time.
Attend to personal needs before coming to class. No in-and-out of the classroom during class.
Bring required materials (pencils, scantrons, etc.) every day unless you are otherwise directed.
No sleeping in class.
No talking in class during lectures or you may be asked to leave. Talking is distracting to both instructor and students.
Behavior that is disruptive or that interferes with the campus learning process in the classroom or on campus is not permitted.
If you leave the classroom during a quiz or exam, your quiz or exam will be collected, and you will not be permitted to continue with it.
Do not eat candy or other food in class unless you have been given special permission.
Appearance and/or dress that are extreme or unusual to the point of distracting from or being disturbing to the learning environment within classes or on campus will not be tolerated. In certain technical labs, student dress is expected to meet all safety codes.
Students may not bring children to class.
Students shall not attempt to defraud, deceive or mislead an instructor in arriving at an honest grade assessment.
See the Student Conduct Code for further information.

Attendance Policy:

Students are expected to attend class regularly. Attend all classes and be on time for class.

Students’ academic success is the major priority of the College. Because regular participation enhances the learning process, students are expected to adhere to the attendance policy set forth by the College and individual faculty members. Differences in content and teaching styles exist among courses, which can impact students’ learning. Therefore, students are strongly encouraged to attend all classes to better prepare them for assignments, tests, and other course-related activities. Students are accountable for assignments and material covered during an absence.

If you miss a class, YOU are responsible for ALL the material and assignments associated with that particular lecture. Check with the instructor or a classmate about the class material you missed.

One point will be deducted from your final exam grade for each time you are late, and for each unexcused absence.

You will be officially counted late if you arrive after the roll has been taken. Students arriving more than 10 minutes late may not be allowed into the classroom.

Students who never attend a class (or never "log-in" for a distance learning class) by the end of the first two weeks of the term will be reported to the Registrar for non-attendance. Students who are reported for non-attendance will be dropped from the course.

Students who choose to stop attending class and/or logging in to WebCT, must complete the withdrawal process through the Registrar's Office by the specified dates, or you will receive an "F" for the course.

If you must be away for a certain period of time, please let the instructor know in advance.

Withdrawal Policy:

The midpoint of the semester is Tuesday March 11, 2008.

A student who officially withdraws by the midpoint of the course will receive a grade of "W". A student who withdraws after the midpoint of the quarter will receive a "WF" unless approval as a hardship withdrawal is received from the Dean.

Students who never attend a class (and never "log-in" for a distance learning class) by the end of the first two weeks of the term will be reported to the Registrar for non-attendance. Students who do not drop a class during the schedule adjustment period and are reported for non-attendance will be automatically dropped from that course.

If you choose to stop attending class and/or logging in to WebCT, you must complete the withdrawal process through the Registrar's Office by the specified dates, or you will receive an "F" for the course.

Exams and Quizzes:

Quizzes may be given in class or students may be asked to take quizzes online. All quizzes are closed book, closed note quizzes. Students are not to give or receive help on the quizzes.

If you leave the classroom during a quiz or exam, your quiz or exam will be collected, and you will not be permitted to continue with it.

The Geologic Time Chart Quiz may be taken until student achieves a score of 90% or above. Students must score 90% or above on this quiz prior to taking the Final Exam.

There will be two exams (a Midterm and a Final).

GREEN Scantron sheets are required for the exams and in-class quizzes. (Form 882-E or 882-ES.) Red scantrons will be used for the final exam, as per Science Division policy. Please ask the cashier at the Bookstore for scantron sheets. Do NOT wait until the day of your exam to try to buy a scantron form as the Bookstore may be closed.

Some quizzes and exams will be done on scantrons in class, or on the wireless laptops. Be sure you know your student number and WebCT login and password. Some quizzes will be given online, and you make take them at home on your own time. Online quizzes that you take at home may be taken up to three times, to improve your grade.

The Midterm exam is February 28, 2008.

The Final Exam is Monday May 5, 1:00-3:00 pm

THE FINAL EXAM IS CUMULATIVE AND COMPREHENSIVE

Basis of Grading:

33% Midterm Exam

33% Final Exam

33% Quizzes, homework assignments, reports, projects, etc.

A note about the final: If you score less than 70% on the final exam, you will not receive an A for a final course grade, and similarly, if you score less than 60% on the final exam, you will not will not receive a B for a final grade, regardless of your overall average plus any extra credit.

The lecture grade is separate from the lab grade, if the student is enrolled in a lab.

Grading scale:

90-100% A

80-90% B

70-80% C

60-70% D

below 60% F

EXTRA CREDIT:

There will be opportunities for extra credit projects or papers during the semester. Up to five earned extra credit points can be applied to your final class average. Submit your ideas for extra credit by e-mail to your instructor for approval of topics. Extra credit exercises must be done independently from other students. All extra credit must be typed.

Possible extra credit projects (one point each):

Watch a geology-related television show or video (other than any that might be required for the class). Take detailed notes (several pages) to turn in, along with the title and dates of the show. TYPE.
Examples: "Faces of Earth" http://www.facesofearth.tv/Default.aspx
Videos available online at http://mason.gmu.edu/~dmose/videos.html
Attend optional field trip. Type notes.
Attend public geology lectures in the community (such as Atlanta Geological Society meetings) and take notes to turn in. Type.
Visit a historical geology-related museum in the area. TAKE DETAILED NOTES! TYPE.
Research paper. See instructor for approval of topic in advance. (2 pages MINIMUM, typed, double-spaced, no more than 1" margin, with 3 outside references to magazine articles, web sites, or books other than your text.) YOU MUST TURN IN A XEROX OR PRINT OUT OF THE REFERENCES YOU USED.

Grades will no longer be mailed to students' home addresses at the end of the semester. Reports of student grades are available via Web (http://sis.gpc.edu).

Policy on Academic Honesty:

Academic dishonesty (cheating and plagiarism) will not be tolerated. Students should read the sections on cheating and plagiarism in the Georgia Perimeter College Student Handbook and Georgia Perimeter College Catalog.

Cheating includes (among other things), use of unauthorized papers (or a cell phone or pager) during a quiz or exam (no matter what the content), looking at any notes or books or other materials during an unproctored online quiz, talking with someone about the quiz material during an unproctored online quiz, telling a student who has not taken the quiz or exam about the quiz or exam after you have taken it, copying from another student's paper during a test, allowing another student to copy from your paper during a test, unauthorized access to old exams or to an exam given to the class if you are taking it late for some reason, copying another student's homework assignments, using or turning in a photocopy of another student's assigned work, paying someone to write a paper or do an assignment for you, buying or downloading a term paper, or leaving the room during a test without permission or before turning in your paper. Cheating also includes giving a false excuse to the instructor in order to get the instructor to give extended time, an incomplete, or other consideration relating to a grade.

With online testing, it is particularly important to pay strict attention to academic honesty. Do not access a test online before you are ready to take it. Do not look at a printout of the test before you take it. Do not look at your books or notes or other papers while taking an online test. Do not have another person take the test for you. Do not have another person tell you answers to the test.

Plagiarism includes copying any phrases, sentence, or sentences verbatim from the reference source without using quotation marks and without providing a complete reference (author, date, source of material, volume, pages, etc.), or printing out an article directly from a computer database (such as Encarta or off the web) and turning it in as your own work. Students must read, synthesize, and write their own original sentences; learn to paraphrase. Even when paraphrasing, a complete reference must be provided to the paraphrased sentences. NEVER steal words directly from any source and present them as your own.

Students are responsible for doing their own work, even if they "work together". If two papers are turned in that show great similarity such that the instructor interprets it as evidence of cheating or plagiarism, both will be penalized.

A report will be filed with the Campus Dean of Student Affairs for any alleged cheating or plagiarism incident. (See procedure in College Catalog.) The case will be heard by the College Court. Penalties may include suspension or expulsion.

The faculty member is free to assign the grade he or she thinks is appropriate for the assignment or quiz, or exam, or for the semester (regardless of any outcome from College Court).

Any student found by the instructor to have represented someone else's work as his/her own, will receive a zero for that quiz, exam, or assignment for the first offense. The second offense will result in the assignment of a grade of "F" for the course. (If several papers are turned in together or at the same time, and each contains evidence of cheating or plagiarism, they will be considered as separate offenses, and will result in immediate assignment of a grade of "F" for the course.) This policy applies to cheating or plagiarism on extra credit work as well.

Cheating on an exam will jeopardize your grade; if you receive a zero on an exam it will be extremely difficult to receive a passing grade for the course.

Communicating with the Instructor:

Regular communication is a very important part of this course. Please feel free to ask questions at any time, either in class at the appropriate time, by e-mail, by phone during office hours, or in person during office hours (call first to be sure I am not in a meeting or on another campus).

E-mail response time:

I will generally reply to your e-mail within 24 hours unless I am out of town (which I will announce in class). I may or may not check e-mail on weekends, depending on my schedule, so do not expect a prompt reply if you post Friday afternoon or Friday night. I may not see your message until Monday morning. I check e-mail frequently during office hours.

Statement of Non-discrimination:

Georgia Perimeter College supports the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Executive Order #11246, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. No person shall, on the basis of age, race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, national origin or disability, be excluded from participation in, or be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of the college.

Any individual with a grievance related to the enforcement of any of the above provisions should contact the Assistant Director of Human Resources, Ombudsperson.

Americans with Disabilities Act Statement:

If you are a student who is disabled as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act and require assistance of support services, please seek assistance through the Center for Disability Services. A CDS Counselor will coordinate those services.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

No person shall, on the basis of age, race, religion, color, gender, sexual orientation, national origin or disability, be excluded from participation in, or be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of Georgia Perimeter College.

Affirmative Action Statement:

Georgia Perimeter College adheres to affirmative action policies designed to promote diversity and equal opportunity for all faculty and students.

You are expected to read and abide by the general policies of Georgia Perimeter College, as stated in the College Student Handbook, and in the College Catalog.

Expected Educational Results:

As a result of completing this course the student will be able to:

1. Understand and apply the major Geological Principles of Historical Geology.
2. Recognize and apply the methods of scientific Problem-solving and critical thinking.
3. Understand and discuss the interrelationships between the physical and biological history of the Earth.
4. Understand and apply the ways in which geologic materials are dated.
5. Understand the Geologic evidence for evolution.
6. Understand and know the classification of the major fossil groups.
7. Understand and apply data related to environments in which sedimentary materials are deposited.
8. Understand and discuss the origin of the Universe, Solar System, and the Earth.
9. Understand and discuss the origin of life and the various evidences from the fossil record the origin of life.

General Education Outcomes:

I. This course addresses the general education outcome relating to communications as follows:

A. Students develop their reading comprehension skills by reading the textbook and handout materials.
B. Students develop their listening skills through lecture and group problem solving. Lecture material is presented that is not included in the textbook or handout material and is included as part of the exams or tests.
C. Students develop their writing skills through a variety of homework assignments, tests, and quizzes.
D. Students develop their speaking skills through class discussions, by asking questions in class as well as interactions with their peer in and out of class.

II. This course addresses the general education outcomes of recognition and application of scientific inquiry as follows:

A. Students must apply the geological principles to explain various observed natural phenomena that occur on the earth's surface as well as in the interior of the earth.
B. Students will develop their observation skill to be able to recognize the various geological features and life that lived on the earth through its history.
C. Students will develop the skills of inquiry by use of the scientific method to experience, evaluate, and synthesize data as applied to various geological problems.

III. This course addresses the general education outcomes of identification and evaluation of basic global, economic, and geographic forces as pertains to geology as well as to analyze how these forces shape the present and future, and possibly the past.

A. The study of Historical Geology will address the issues of the interaction of man/life and the earth.
B. The interaction of life and the environment as it pertains to earth materials and its history are included in this course.

IV. This course addresses the general education outcomes of developing effective individual and at times group problem-solving and critical thinking skills as applied to geology.

A. A student will develop their ability to problem-solve and critically think by applying their acquired knowledge of geology to various problems that deal with historical geology issues.

Course Content:

I. Introduction
    A. Fundamental principles of Geology
    B. Sedimentary Rock Record
    C. Geologic time
    D. Evolution
    E. Life on Earth

II. Origins
    A. The Universe
    B. The Earth
    C. The Atmosphere
    D. Life

III. History
    A. Precambrian Life & Tectonics
    B. Paleozoic Life & Tectonics
    C. Mesozoic Life & Tectonics
    D. Cenozoic Life & Tectonics

Syllabus dated January 6, 2008.

Page created by Pamela J. W. Gore
Georgia Perimeter College